


Day Hike

by NinesByDawn



Series: Nest Building [13]
Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Banter, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Slice of Life, super fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:20:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23662231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinesByDawn/pseuds/NinesByDawn
Summary: The team takes a trip to scale a mountain in the area. The birds get some time alone in the afternoon to enjoy the scenery and trade their typical banter.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Raven, Rob/Rae, Robin/Raven, Robrae
Series: Nest Building [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1655041
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	Day Hike

**Author's Note:**

> With that, this series is fully updated. Expect RobRae Week 2020 updates to this series starting on Sunday.

“Glorious! I never knew the walking with a large backpack could be so much fun! Or that the trees could be so tall!”

“Easy, Star,” Robin chuckled, as he followed Starfire up the path. “Let’s give the others a chance to catch up. We’ve still got a long ways to go.”

“You have packed much to eat for the picnic, yes?” Starfire asked, slowing down to walk by his side.

“There’s plenty for everyone,” Robin promised. “And of course, all your favorite dishes.” The two of them continued uphill, Robin probing the ground ahead of them with his hiking stick, a converted form of his staff. Behind them, some distance away, Cyborg and Beast Boy were arguing over the rights to the map and the direction they were headed off to next. This was unaided by the fact that the shapeshifter was alternating between morphing into a bear in order to carry his pack easier and morphing back into his human form to argue with Cyborg, only to start gasping for air once he found his tiny frame couldn’t support his pack nearly as well.

Robin ignored the commotion, instead choosing to focus on the trail markers. They were definitely close to the vantage point now. He wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead with his bandana, and pushed forward through the last of the path. The Boy Wonder was dressed in a red hoodie and gray hiking pants. He and Starfire reached the point, a clearing in the woods that overlooked the rest of the park. The bay of Jump City was visible in the distance, with tables set up near the edge for the view. The rest of the forest grew below the clearing, and a few rocks jutted out where eager visitors could jump on to get better pictures. The clearing was beginning to get crowded as the sun reached its midpoint in the sky, and the two Titans set their packs down at an empty table, waiting for the others.

“For the last time, your snacks are NOT in my bag!” Cyborg roared as the two of them emerged from the path.

“I don’t believe you! You’re the only one who would hide them from me and pretend like you don’t know where they are!”

“Friends!” Starfire exclaimed, hurrying over and putting a hand on both of their shoulders. “We have reached the time of lunch! There is no need to fight over food!” A few visitors glanced over at them, beginning to notice the very famous visitors on the trail today, and Robin cursed under his breath.

“Robin! Where did you pack my sweet potato chips?” Beast Boy demanded, bounding over to their table and opening up the other backpacks.

“It’s probably not in mine?” he said, scratching his head. “Mine’s mostly gear and emergency stuff. And you guys kind of all randomly grabbed backpacks when we got here. It could be in anybody’s.”

“Not in yours,” Beast Boy said, closing up Robin’s pack. “I’ll check Star’s next.”

“Guys,” Robin said, addressing all of them. He narrowed his eyes. “Where’s Raven?”

“Uhh…she should’ve been behind us,” Cyborg offered. “So she’ll be coming soon!”

“We’re supposed to stay in groups. None of us should be going alone. Since Star and I went ahead, you two should’ve been with her.”

“Chill out, dude! She has _powers_. And there are other people around,” Beast Boy said.

“It’s good practice,” Robin retorted. “I don’t care if we can take care of ourselves better than the average person. It’s practice we have to follow to be safe.”

“Perhaps Raven has slowed down since you did not allow either of us to fly or use our powers,” Starfire suggested, as the four of them kept staring at the path.

“That was the point,” Robin said with a smile. They waited for another couple of minutes, until Raven finally emerged. She was slightly out of breath and trudging along, dressed in a lightweight blue jacket and tan khakis with corresponding blue and black boots. Her pack was visibly bulging, and she stopped once she saw her team gathered at the table.

“Raven!” Beast Boy exclaimed. “I searched everyone else’s pack! My snacks have to be in yours!” He sprinted up with surprising speed and started digging into her pack before she could react, but reached his hands in too deep, tilting her balance and causing her to fall backwards. They both cried out as the heavy pack crashed on top of Beast Boy, bringing Raven down with it. Robin shook his head while the other two chuckled.

“Get. Off. Me.”

“Found them,” Beast Boy said, his voice muffled a bit by the pack. Raven shook her pack off and got up, brushing herself off and shaking her head.

“Are we done for now?” Raven asked annoyedly.

“Stopping for lunch,” Robin confirmed, opening up the other packs. He pulled out a giant jar of peanut butter and tossed it to Starfire, while the others began sifting through as well.

“ _Why_ again did you tell me this was going to be fun?”

“It is fun,” Robin chuckled. “We’re exploring more of the area we don’t normally get to see. Nature really is beautiful around here. We’re spending time together as a team. And we’re getting a good workout in, as you can probably attest to.”

“My back hurts. My feet hurt. And I’m _soaked_ in sweat. Why did you tell me to dress this heavy?” Raven groused as she pulled out a sandwich. The two of them sat down to join the others; Starfire covering her Tamaranian food in mustard and peanut butter, Cyborg chomping through several burgers, and Beast Boy doing the same with his tofu dogs.

“I told you to dress in _layers_ ,” Robin said, tossing her a towel and some hand sanitizer. “It gets cool in the woods, especially in the morning. But you don’t have to wear everything all day, you know.”

“Yeah, whatever. How did I end up with _his_ snacks anyways? That thing must weigh at least 25 pounds.”

“Next time, you should be quicker to claim which bag you want,” Robin laughed. She rolled her eyes as the team settled in. They finished up their meal, chatting about the sights they’d seen on the trail in the morning and handing out a few autographs to other visitors. Beast Boy and Starfire went on the edges of the rocks to take some panoramas and social media worthy pictures, and then the team was off again, continuing along the path. Raven demanded to switch packs with Beast Boy, which he readily agreed to as he would finally have access to his copious amounts of vegan snacks. The team reached a fork further up the peak, where Robin stopped for a moment and turned around to let everyone else catch up.

“Alright, team,” he said. “Here’s where we split up, like we planned. We’ll meet up at the peak near sunset and call it a day.”

“We shall see you soon!” Starfire said, walking over to the path on the right. Cyborg stepped along with her.

“Don’t get lost, lovebirds,” Beast Boy teased, following them. Raven rolled her eyes again and joined Robin near the path on the left, and the two groups split off. Robin led the two of them up a quieter, albeit steeper, trail, with the redwood trees lining the sides and the sun shining through occasional clearances in the thicket of trees.

“You holding up okay?” Robin asked as he slowed his pace to walk by her side.

“Better with this lighter pack,” she replied. “And it helps that everyone else ate so much.”  
“That’s kind of why I packed so much food,” Robin said with a chuckle. “Better to suffer for half a day than suffer through the rest of the time listening to them complain about being hungry.”

“Hold this for a second,” Raven said. She took off her pack and handed it to Robin, then unzipped her jacket and tied it around her waist, revealing a plain black tank top underneath.

“Good idea,” Robin said. “There’s the benefits of layers.” He pulled off his hoodie and stuffed it in his bag, revealing a muscle tank, then unzipped the legs of his pants, turning them to shorts. Raven raised an eyebrow at his outfit.

“You really do pull off the douchebag look well,” she commented drily, as they continued walking. “The bandana helps as your coup de grâce.”

“The bandana serves practical purposes so I don’t have to reach into my bag for a towel to wipe sweat off,” he replied. “And there’s nothing wrong with the rest of my look. You’re basically dressed the same way. You’re just jealous your pants don’t convert like mine do.”

“Whatever, dork,” she said, shaking her head as they continued along the trail. “I didn’t know you were such an outdoors enthusiast.”

“Most of the prep is similar to stuff that’s standard practice for fieldwork,” Robin said with a shrug.

“Never change.”

“Are you at least appreciating the journey more now?” Robin asked. “The environment’s so different out here. Forests, ocean, and we’re about to head up to some more rocky parts.”

“Hmm. It is nice,” Raven concurred. “It feels fresher out here. More…alive.”

“And the exercise?”

“Getting used to it,” she grumbled.

“Just because you’re in good physical condition doesn’t mean you don’t need conditioning, Rae,” Robin laughed.

“I just want to get to the top,” Raven sighed. “How much further?”

“Still quite a ways. Here’s the map, if you’re curious.” He slipped the bag off his left shoulder and pulled out the map from the front pocket, then tossed it to her. Raven unfurled it immediately, scanning the various symbols marked across the paper.

“This path we’re on is marked with diamonds. What does that mean?”

“It means it’s difficult,” Robin said with a grin. “I had them take the main route to the peak. The path we’re on is steeper, but the views are better and it’s quieter. Figured you’d like it more.”

“Dick,” Raven whined. “My legs are burning. And no, physical suffering does not build character, as you love to say.”

“We’ll be able to rest in a bit,” he said. “There’s a nice little waterfall up ahead.” They walked for a bit longer, before Robin guided them down a narrow dirt trail that sloped away from the main path. Raven followed behind him, brushing stray branches from small plants out of her face. They could both hear the sound of water crashing getting louder, and finally, they reached the waterfall, a small cascade of water a few stories high. A couple of people swam around in the pond the waterfall was emptying into, while others relaxed near the shore. The waterfall was surrounded by various greenery, and the afternoon sun peeked through, its rays reflecting on the water. Robin and Raven walked down to the shore and found a spot with some rocks on one side, setting their stuff down and resting.

“See? It’s a nice little place. And something we wouldn’t have been able to see on the other path.” Raven didn’t respond immediately, instead taking the time to stretch her legs out, wipe her face again, and drink from her water bottle.

“Are you thinking about going for a swim?”

“I packed my trunks. But I’m guessing you didn’t pack for a swim.”

“The only things I packed were the essentials you gave me on that list and granola bars. Besides, where on this little mountain are you going to clean up afterwards anyways?” Raven dismissed.

“Fair point. But I’m always prepared.” Robin got up and gazed around the scene, then turned to Raven. “Pictures?”

“Only a few,” she said, getting up. “You go first.” Robin nodded and stood in front of the waterfall, smiling widely while Raven snapped a few pictures with her communicator.

“Your turn.” Raven walked up to his spot and stood with her hands at her sides, cracking a slight smile without teeth as Robin took the pictures. She then walked over to be by his side and examine them.

“Delete this one,” she said.

“Why? You look good here.”

“You always say I look good. But my eyes are half-closed and my smile looks super forced.”

“I wonder whose fault that is,” Robin drawled. She glanced at him in annoyance and he grinned. “Anyways, how about a few together?”

“Sure. Let’s just take a few selfies and get—”

“Hey!” Robin called, walking over to one of the other visitors. The man looked to be slightly older than them, with curly light brown hair and a camera around his neck. “You mind taking a few pictures for us?” he asked, holding out his communicator.

“Sure thing,” the man said. “Hey, wait. You’re Titans?”

“Sure are,” Robin said, walking back over to Raven.

“Ah, Robin and Raven,” the man said, now recognizing them. He held up the communicator and pointed it at them. “You two are dating, right? At least, that’s what the tabloids say.”

“For once, they’re right,” Robin said. “This _is_ my wonderful girlfriend.” He wrapped an arm around the empath and smiled for the picture.

“You’re embarrassing us,” she hissed to him.

“Smile!” the man said, before Robin could respond. Raven rolled her eyes at him and turned to the man, putting a smile on her face, before he took a few and handed the communicator back to Robin. “How’s that?”

“They look great,” Robin said, looking through them. “Thanks a lot!” The two birds then grabbed their packs and started up for the path again.

“You meant to say, I’m embarrassing _you_ ,” Robin teased.

“Yes, you are,” Raven replied, sighing. “Why can’t you just be normal and quickly acknowledge it and move on or something?”

“I can’t be proud of the fact I’m dating someone so wonderful?” he said innocently, as they continued up the mountain. The trees were beginning to thin out, giving way to more rock formations and scenic views of small canyons down below them.

“You can do it in a way that doesn’t give off the fact you’re the cheesiest person in the world,” Raven said sarcastically. “I can’t be associated with you in public like that.” They kept hiking throughout the afternoon, Raven beginning to build her stamina and allowing them to pick up their pace. They stopped occasionally to take pictures of the scenery, chatted about said views and other landmarks, but also kept in silence for a good amount of the hike as well.

“Are you hungry?” Robin asked, as they neared the top. He was checking the map while they were seated near the edge on the side of the mountain. The late afternoon sun washed the park in layers of orange, as the two birds each sat on a rock. “I think we can probably hike the rest in like 45 minutes to an hour. We can eat dinner and still have time to spend at the top before the sun sets.”

“I’m actually famished,” Raven admitted. “What do we have in here?” She dug into her pack and pulled out an assortment of items. “More sandwiches. Joy. And I’m sure Starfire is devastated somewhere right now that she doesn’t have her big bottle of mustard.”

“In hindsight, maybe we should have just all packed our own stuff,” Robin admitted.

“That would’ve been a good idea, Boy Blunder.”

“But then how would the others fit enough in their packs to feed themselves?” Robin asked rhetorically, chuckling. “We’ll just give them whatever we have left over once we meet them.” He rummaged through his pack, pulling out the stuff he’d packed for dinner. “I’ve got some turkey and tuna, if you want either.”

“Turkey.” Robin nodded and tossed one to her, which was caught and held in place in mid-air by Raven as she ate the sandwich from her pack. The two of them worked through more sandwiches than either of them had anticipated, then cleaned up and began the rest of the trek towards the peak.

“I’m going straight to sleep when we get back,” Raven muttered, her pace beginning to slow. The combination of the big dinner and the accumulated exhaustion from the day was wearing on her.

“Just power through,” Robin encouraged. “I’ve heard the view at the top is incredible. You can take my stick, if you want.”

“I’m good. You can lead the way, and if you stumble on any cracks or slippery slopes, I’ll know.”

“Good to know I have your support.” The two birds continued along, finally reaching the top as the sun was beginning to descend towards the horizon. They found their team there waiting among a small crowd of people still at the top.

“About time!” Cyborg said. “Slowpokes!”

“It was Raven holding them back,” Beast Boy proclaimed, grinning.

“You would still be halfway down the mountain if you weren’t allowed to transform,” Raven snapped.

“Easy, easy!” Robin said, holding up his hands. “We all made it and that’s what matters. Let’s just enjoy the view and relax. We’ve earned it.”

“Indeed!” Starfire agreed. “The view is most wonderful! Come!” The birds followed her to the edge and gazed out over the distance. The bay of the city was again visible, this time appearing even smaller. They could spot the bridge, as well as their home, appearing large enough for them to make out the T but still miniscule from their vantage point. The contrast in the landscape was stark, from the rock formations directly below them to the forests that marked the border of the park and city.

“Y’all got the extra food we packed in here?” Cyborg asked, searching through their bags.

“Take anything you want that’s left,” Robin called to him, then went and sat next to Raven near the edge. The peak was quiet except for the occasional chatter of the other Titans and visitors, and the calmness had a recharging effect on Raven. She reached an arm around Robin and brought him in in silence.

“You were right, once again,” she said amusedly. He smiled and they stayed like that for a few more minutes, enjoying their own bubble on top of the scenic peak. The sun crept ever closer to the horizon as the few visitors left began to make their way back down the mountain.

“So, when are we leaving?” Beast Boy said, interrupting them. “I know I can turn into some pretty big flying animals, but there’s no way I’m carrying everything on my back. Raven and Star should carry stuff too.”

“We’ll figure that out soon,” Robin replied. “But I think you should keep carrying yours, since you were the one who filled it with all those snacks only you would eat.” Beast Boy let out a humph and walked away to mess with Cyborg again.

“There’s one more thing we need to do still,” Raven reminded him.

“Ah, yes,” Robin realized. “Where’s a good spot?”

“Over there?” The empath pointed to a detached rock on the other edge of the point. It was inaccessible by walking from where they were, but that wouldn’t be a problem. Raven took Robin’s hand and they floated over to the rock. Robin crossed his legs in the lotus position and Raven did the same, hovering next to him.

“How long?”

“Until the sun sets or they nag us to leave. Whichever happens first,” Raven replied, opening an eye. Robin chuckled and closed his eyes.

“Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…”


End file.
